ISLAMABAD: The National Security Committee on Wednesday asked the government to forcefully pursue Indian violations of the Indus Water Treaty with the World Bank to foil New Delhi’s designs.

“The committee also directed the Water Resources Division to forcefully pursue the violations of the Indus Water Treaty by India with the World Bank,” a statement issued by the committee after its meeting that focused extensively on the economy and water.

The meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, was attended by Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Zubair Mahmood Hayat, Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, ISI Director General Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar, National Security Adviser retired Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua and senior civil and military officials.

After completion of the controversial Kishanganga hydropower project by India, Pakistan asked the World Bank to recognise its responsibility under the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 and address its concern over the Kishanganga project on the Neelum river and the Ratle hydropower project on the Chenab.

The committee hailed the Water Policy approved by the Council of Common Interests and the Water Charter signed by the prime minister and four chief ministers. The committee said that the approval of the water policy and signing of the charter was “a very significant achievement and if properly implemented could prove instrumental in averting the water crisis that was seriously threatening Pakistan”.

The committee, while reviewing the economic performance, asked the government to address the “potentially destabilising factors”.

Finance Minister Ismail briefed the committee on the economic performance of Pakistan over the last five years and the “fast growth strategy” underlying the budget for financial year 2018-19, the statement said, noting that “the sustained five years’ growth was a matter of much satisfaction”. The committee also reviewed the status of FATF compliance and expressed its overall satisfaction, it added.

A briefing on the new visa regime was also given to the committee by the interior secretary. The regime is said to be facilitative for tourists, students and people travelling to Pakistan for medical care.

The interior ministry was asked to finalise and introduce the new policy at the earliest in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2018